1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical outlets and, more particularly, to an alignable electrical outlet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical outlets for both home and commercial use are generally attached by nails or other means to studs of a supporting wall framing. Usually such studs are vertically aligned. When so aligned, the attached electrical outlet is essentially vertically aligned and perpendicular to the floor. In the event the stud is misaligned due to an error in framing the wall or in the event the stud is warped, the side of the stud to which an electrical box is to be attached may not be vertical. The resulting nonverticality of the electrical outlet is readily visually apparent. An awareness of such nonalignment is often found objectionable, particularly in residences, and the nonalignment casts aspersions upon the quality of construction. The resulting poor impression created may affect salability of the residence or its price.
To shim an electrical outlet to compensate for nonvertically aligned or warped studs is time consuming and thereby increases the cost of installation. If realignment of the electrical outlet is effected after the wall board or other wall surface has been attached to the framing, substantial additional time and costs are involved.
The visually perceivable portion of an electrical outlet includes a cover plate having holes therein for access to a switch, an electrical socket or a pair or more of electrical sockets. The switch unit or electrical socket unit is attached to an outlet box by a pair of machine screws threadedly engaging threaded apertures of the box. A slot is formed at each end of the switch unit or electrical socket unit to penetrably receive the machine screws. This pair of slots permit some realignment of the electrical socket to align it vertically; however, the range of adjustment is limited. The cover plate, being keyed to the switch unit or electrical socket unit, is not independently alignable and will reflect the alignment of the switch unit or electrical socket unit. Generally, an outlet box houses a substantial number of heavy gauge electrical conductors and wire nuts for the requisite interconnections. The mass represented by such conductors and wire nuts may place a limitation upon the degree of misalignment of the electrical socket with respect to the box which can be accommodated.